Avengers: Endgame smashes box office records

Avengers: Endgame could beat Avatar as the highest-grossing film ever

What just happened? Avengers: Endgame has become the first film in history to surpass $1 billion in its opening weekend and could dethrone Avatar as the highest-grossing film of all time. Were you able to see it this weekend?

Disney on Sunday said the Marvel Studios film generated an estimated $350 million domestically and $859 million internationally although as of writing, Variety is reporting $356 million in North America and $866 million overseas. Final numbers from Disney are expected later today.

Avatar, by comparison, needed 19 days to cross the $1 billion mark and was the only film of 2009 to do so. In its total box office run, the movie managed to gross nearly $2.8 billion. Avengers: Infinity War, the previous record holder, reached $1 billion in earnings in 11 days.

Marvel is now responsible for the two biggest box office launches ever with Infinity War and Endgame.

The film’s performance next weekend should go a long way in forecasting whether or not it’ll be able to trump Avatar as the highest-grossing box office hit ever. I’ve spoken to at least one person that was unable to get tickets this past weekend and according to Comscore’s PostTrak survey, nearly 30 percent of those who already saw the film in North America expressed a desire to see it in theaters again.